Tramway for curves and cable-gripes



(N0 Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- G. M. OHUBB.

Tramway for Curves and Cable Gripes. No. 235,127. 7 Patented Dec.7,1880.

(No model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

G,M.OHUBB. I Tramway for Curves and Cable Gripes.

No. 235,127. Paten ted Dec. 7,1880.

Witnesse MWK N. PErERs, PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

0. M. GHUBB. Tramway for Curves and Cable Gripes.

Patented Dec. 7,1880.

Witnesses Uwrre ra'rns three.

CHARLES M. OHUBB, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,127, dated December7, 1880. Application filed September 21, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. CHUBB, of Oakland, county of Alameda, andState of California, have inyented an Improved Tramway for Curves andGable-Gripes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain improvements in wire rope or cabletramways in which cars are propelled by means of a gripe attachedpermanently to each, and so eonstrueted that it maybe made to hold orlet go of the cable at will.

My invention consists in a method of supporting and guiding the cable,so that it will pass around curves of any desired radius, and in apeculiar gripe, which is capable of seizing the cable and of beingcarried by it around the curve, without interference with thesupporting-pulleys or guides, as will be more fully described byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top viewof a portion of a curved track. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections ofthe same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the tunnel. Fig. 5 isa hori- Zontal section of the same. Fig.6 is a perspective view of mygriping device.

The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulty of passing acable around curves, and so connecting a car with it that it may bedrawn around in the same curve.

By my invention a cable-road can be constructed whereon a car can bemade to take a route over any street despite the curves and not becompelled to run along in a straight line.

Let A represent a curved roadway. B will show the slot through which theneck of the gripe passes. Under the slotB the cable-tunnel O is providedwith the vertical rollers D, and between them are the horizontal rollersE, which serve as rests for the cable when slack.

F represents the cable passing over the rollers I), which are at suchshort distances apart that the cable practically forms itself intocurved lines corresponding with the'curve of the road. a

H is the stationary jaw of the gripe, projecting to one side of theupright carrying-plate G, as shown. The plate G has awide vertical slot,the edges of which form guides, within which the plate which carries themovable jaw J slides, so as to allow the jaws to be separated or closed,as may be desired.

The plate G extends up through the slot in the roadway, and is firmlysecured to the car or dummy. Upon its upper end is alever, K, of anysuitable form or style or, if desired, a screw may be used. This is tooperate the movable jaw. In the present case the lever K is bent atright angles, and the end of the short arm is pivoted to the plate G,while the angle is connected with the slide or plate of the movable jawby means of a rod, L. The upper or long arm of the lever extends up intothe car within easy reach of the operator, and may be held in anyposition by the aid of a pawl and a curved rack, in the usual manner.

The movable jaw J has a projection, M, at its outer edge, which extendsdownward, and when the jaws are closed this projecting ledge enters acorresponding groove, N, inthe fixed jaw. This forms a strong supportfor the movable jaw, to enable it to resist side strains which may bebrought upon it when the gripe holds the cable and is movingaround acurve.

Upon the outer face of the projection M, at each end, is a stoutspring-arm, 0, having a roller or pulley, P, fitted to turn in it. Thispulley receives the cable if it runs to one side within the gripe whenthe car is not in motion, and the elasticity of the spring-arm holds itin such a position that it prevents the cable from running against theside of the gripe, and thus wearing it out. The plate G, on the oppositeside of the griping-jaws, is similarly provided with protecting springsand rollers.

From the side of each of the griping-jaws H and J a roller orwheel-frame, Q, projects, and each frame supports the journals of twowheels or rollers, R, the axles of these wheels standing verticallywhile the faces of the wheels are adapted to roll upon guides or rails Swithin the cable, tunnel, or tube, these rails being placed above andbelow the vertically-placed rollers 1), which guide the cable around thecurve.

Upon the opposite side of the plate G, and corresponding with theserollers It, I place similar rollers T, which are fitted to run uponguides or rails U upon that side, similar to the rails S. l 7

It will be manifest that the rails or guides will in each case be placedonly upon the inside of the curve around which the cable and car are topass, and they serve to support the gripe as it travels upon its rollersagainst the side strain caused by its lifting the cable from the rollersD as it passes. The rollers and guides or rails upon one side will beused when the curve is in that direction, and those upon the other sidewhen the curve is in the opposite direction.

That the application of my gripe may be more readily understood, I willexplain the operation. The cable F is set in motion in the ordinarymanner. It runs within the tube or tunnel C over the rollers D and E.The gripe moves within the tube, being connected with the car by meansof the neck or plate G, as before described, and it passes down to oneside of the c.-ble F, the rollers D and E working in the space betweenthe lower and upper wheel frames or supports, Q.

' l/Vhen the lever K is raised, by which the movable plate J is lifted,leaving an opening between the two jaws, the cable will run freelywithout moving the car; but when the jaws are forced together by meansof the op crating-lever, the car will be compelled to move with thecable. The guides or rails within the cable-tunnel upon which therollers R It of the gripe travel are so placed with reference to theguide-rollers of the cable that the groove in the gripe which clasps thecable will be at all times very nearly in the line of the curve throughwhich the cable travels.

By this construction the strain of the cable will be mostly supported byits permanent bearing-rollers D, and but little of it will betransferred to the gripe as it passes these rollers. The rollers orwheels upon the gripe will, however, travel upon their rails, andsustain any side pressure which may be brought upon the gripe by theaction of the cable.

It will be seen that the guide-rails for the gripe-rollers are onlynecessary upon the inner side of the curve, and if the cable passes fromone curve into a reverse curve the guides would be simply transferredfrom the inner side of one curve to the inner side of the oppositecurve.

In order to relieve the movable jaw-of the side strainwhich may bebrought upon it by the action of the cable, the projecting lip M, whichenters the groove in the stationary jaw, as before described, serves tosustain it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The guides for carrying the wire rope or cable in a curve within itstunnel, said guides being placed upon the inside of the curve, incombination with the rollers It upon the gripe and theirsupporting-blocks Q, substantially as herein described.

2. The gripe consisting of the stationary jaw H, having a groove in itsouter side, and the movable jaw J, with its projecting lip or flange Mfitted to enter the groove and support and steady the j aw,substantially as herein described.

3. The gripe consisting of the stationary and the movable jaws H J,between which a cable may be compressed and held, in combination withthe elastic arms 0 and the rollers P, to hold the cable away from thesides of the gripe and prevent wear, substantially as herein described.

l. The cable tube or tunnel (J, having the vertical and horizontalcable-supportin g rollers D E, and the guides or rails S U, incombination with a rope-griping device having the rollers or wheels B T,which may run upon the rails, whereby the cable may be run around acurve in either direction, and the gripe from a car may be attached toand carried with it substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES H. GHUBB. Witnesses:

S. H. Nounsn, R. COWAN.

